Safety Alert: Serious Shortcomings With Liferaft Hydrostatic Release Units

The Swedish Transport Agency’s Maritime Department has identified shortcomings in a certain make of hydrostatic release unit. Purchasers of hydrostatic release units are recommended to check if the units they have on board are made by Fenner and, if so, to replace them. The Swedish Transport Agency’s Maritime Department recently discovered that Fenner Hydrostatic Release Units for Liferafts (HRU) do not meet the quality requirements specified by the International Maritime Organization, the IMO.

The Swedish Transport Agency’s inspectors purchased and tested the function of 10 brand-new units and the results revealed that 9 of the 10 failed to function as per the specified requirements. Only 1 of the 10 release units deployed at less than 4 meters water depth, which is the require- ment. Only 2 of the 10 units (of which one at more than 4 meters depth) completely cut the line. Lloyds Register, which issued type approval for these products, has been informed about the short- comings and is preparing to withdraw the product’s type approval certification. The Swedish Transport Agency hereby wishes to notify the shipping industry and operators whose vessels are equipped with hydrostatic release units to check if the Fenner HRU is fitted on board and if so, to immediately replace them with other type-approved (Conformity Mark) makes.

Facts about the hydrostatic release units
Product description: “Fenner HRU” Disposa ble Hydrostatic Release Unit for Liferafts Manufacturer: Fenerci Denizcilik Egitim Dis Ticaret Ltd Sti, Turkey Type approval: Cert. no. SAS S070022/M1 issued by Lloyds Register on 14 June 2007”

Please contact Anders Lundblad at the Swedish Transport Agency for more information: Phone: +46 11 415 23 60 Cell: +46 70 633 82 50 E-mail: [email protected]